Toronto Free-Net Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers!)
James Cummings
TORONTO FREENET FAQ. (Frequently Asked Questions (and answers))
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Q. What city is missing from this list?
Dillon, Montana
Buffalo, New York
Cleveland, Ohio
Denver, Colorado
Peoria, Illinois
Elyria, Ohio
Medina, Ohio
Ottawa, Ontario
Tallahassee, Florida
Cincinnati, Ohio
Victoria, British Columbia
Youngstown, Ohio
Wellington, New Zealand
A. Toronto
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* COMING MARCH 31, 1994.....THE TORONTO FREE-NET *
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Frequently Asked Questions About the Toronto Free-Net
Version 1, June 21, 1993
Prepared by: Rick Broadhead, York University
Electronic Mail: ysar...@VM1.YorkU.CA
Telephone: (416) 487-5017
What is a Free-Net?
A Free-Net is a free, public-access community computer system.
Free-Nets can serve populations of any size, from large metropolitan
centres to small cities and towns. They offer a wide spectrum of
on-line information services to the public, including community and
government databases and worldwide electronic messaging. They don't
charge for their services, so everything on them is free. While there
are many Free-Nets around the world, each Free-Net is tailored to meet
the information needs of the local community, so no two Free-Nets are
identical.
Think of a Free-Net as a large on-line encyclopedia about the city. The
encyclopedia is placed on a dedicated computer, hooked up to
city's phone system, and made available seven days a week, 24 hours
a day, to the general public.
The lifeblood of a Free-Net is the information providers and other
volunteers who work together to maintain information resources on the
system. Information providers from all sectors of the community
supply information for placement on the Free-Net, and in
cooperation with other Free-Net volunteers, they donate their time
and effort to maintain and update it.
Who Can Place Information on the Toronto Free-Net?
Information providers can be community and professional
associations, clubs, charitable organizations, government ministries
and departments, and educational or service institutions - any entity
that wants to communicate information to the general public. Every
participating organization will have a dedicated space on the
system.
What is the Toronto Free-Net Committee?
The Toronto Free-Net Committee is a group of volunteers from industry,
academia, government, and the community who are coordinating the effort
to build a Toronto Free-Net. The Committee is headed by a Board of
Directors which oversees a number of sub-committees handling matters such
as public relations, fund-raising, membership, information resources,
and hardware/software.
The Toronto Free-Net will be an incorporated, not-for-profit organization
with legal status. Our objectives and bylaws are available to
anyone on request.
What is Our Mandate?
The mandate of the Toronto Free-Net Committee is to provide the residents
of Metropolitan Toronto with free, electronic access to community-related
information, while giving information providers a means to disseminate
their information as widely and as economically as possible.
The Public Library Analogy
Free-Nets are destined to become as important an institution as the
public library. It is hard to imagine a community without a public
library. In the near future, community computer systems will become just
as commonplace. In fact, Free-Nets are modelled on the same principle
as public libraries. They provide information to the community, at no
charge to the user.
Historically, libraries were privately owned and access was restricted
to special classes of society - the wealthy and elite, scholars, and
university students. The last century has witnessed a shift in the role
that libraries play in our society. They have become free, open-access
facilities, performing a vital service to the community, serving people
in all classes of society, and from all walks of life.
In the same way that libraries were once the domain of the rich and
elite, use of information technology has historically been confined to
certain groups in society. The penetration of computers into the home
and office and increased computer literacy have provided an opportunity
for community computer systems to flourish. Free-Nets bring information
technology within reach of all classes in society, and they don't charge
for their services.
How Many Free-Nets are There in the World? In Canada?
At the time of this writing, there are 14 other Free-Net systems
in the world. 11 of these are in the United States, 2 are in Canada,
and 1 is in New Zealand. The first community computer system was
launched in Cleveland, Ohio in 1986. Three years after its opening, the
Cleveland Free-Net was handling between 500-600 calls every day on ten
incoming phone lines. Today, it has over 120 phone lines, serving
more than 36,000 users and handling over 11,000 calls a day. Free-Net
systems are also operating in Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri,
Montana, New York and Florida.
The first Canadian Free-Net was established in November, 1992 in
Victoria, B.C. Shortly thereafter, the National Capital FreeNet
opened in Ottawa. Within three months of its official opening in
February 1993, the National Capital FreeNet has grown to 5,800
registered users and 40 incoming phone lines. Calls to the National
Capital FreeNet top 16,000 a week, and applications for membership
are being received at a rate of 50-100 a day!
Are Other Free-Nets Being Planned?
Yes. "Free-Net Fever" is sweeping North America. There are
presently over 40 other Free-Net organizing committees around
the world. Toronto is one of six Canadian centres planning
Free-Nets for their residents. Edmonton, Elliot Lake, Saskatoon, Trail,
B.C., and Vancouver also have formal Free-Net Organizing Committees.
U.S. cities planning Free-Nets include Anchorage, Alaska; Charlotte,
North Carolina; Dallas, Texas; Honolulu, Hawaii; Providence,
Rhode Island; Seattle, Washington; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Detroit,
Michigan; and Washington, D.C.
What Does It Cost to Join/Use the Toronto Free-Net?
There is no membership fee, and there is no charge to access any of the
information on the Toronto Free-Net or to use any of its services. Use
of the Toronto Free-Net is completely and absolutely free. We expect
to receive funding from private industry, the government,
associations, and individuals.
What is Electronic Mail?
Electronic Mail is the capability of sending an electronic message
to another person. It is one of the most popular and fastest growing
uses of computers today. Not only will Toronto Free-Net users be able to
send electronic messages locally to other Toronto Free-Net members, they
will also be able to send electronic messages across Canada and around
to world - to their friends, relatives, or business associates who
also have access to electronic mail. All registered users will
receive a unique electronic mail address on the Toronto Free-Net. With
this electronic mail address, Free-Net users will be able to receive
messages from anyone who is connected to the Internet, the largest
computer network in the world.
The concept of electronic mail is simple to understand. Rather than
handwrite a message to someone, you key in a message on the Free-Net,
and the computer will deliver it for you, providing that your
correspondent has an electronic mail address that you can send the
message to.
Once the message is typed and ready to be delivered, you select the
"send" option from a menu on the screen, and the computer will
dispatch the message. The delivery process takes place in the
background, and is invisible to the user.
If the recipient is a member of Toronto Free-Net, the message will be
deposited in the addressee's electronic mailbox, where it will remain
until the recipient connects to the Toronto Free-Net to read it. All
registered users of the Toronto Free-Net will be notified by the
system when they have new mail waiting.
If the recipient is at another location, the message will be routed
through one or more computer networks to the destination computer.
Electronic mail offers many advantages over traditional communication
mediums, such as the telephone and postal system, and newer technologies,
such as the facsimile. Because electronic mail will be free to all
registered users of the Toronto Free-Net, it will be cheaper than FAX
or a long distance phone call. Providing the delivery route is clear,
electronic messages can travel around the world in minutes or hours,
depending on the location of the recipient. It is not unusual for
messages to travel between Canadian cities in seconds, or between
continents in under a minute.
Electronic mail has many other additional benefits. It overcomes
differences in time zones, eliminates telephone tag, and
improves information flow. Note that while there are many advantages
to electronic mail, because messages may travel through several sites
en route to their destination, privacy cannot be guaranteed.
What is the Internet?
The Toronto Free-Net will be linked to the Internet, an international
computer network which connects an estimated 10 to 15 million people
in over 40 countries, and on all five continents. Linking over 1.5
million computers worldwide, the Internet is the largest and fastest
growing computer network in the world. It more than doubled in the size
over the past year. The Internet is often described as a single network,
but it is actually a network of networks, encompassing over 11,000
computer networks which span the globe. Scientists, researchers,
journalists, politicians, librarians, business executives, students, and
activists are just some of the people who use the Internet's
high-speed data networks to communicate with distant colleagues and
friends.
Are There Any Restrictions on Commercial Use of the Internet?
Yes. Correspondence for commercial purposes (i.e. marketing,
advertising, invoicing, etc.) is subject to Acceptable Use
Policies once it leaves the Toronto Free-Net. Acceptable Use Policies
are rules that govern the content of electronic mail on computer
networks. Electronic mail leaving the Toronto Free-Net may pass through
several other computer networks on its way to the destination site. Each
of these intermediate networks may have its own Acceptable Use Policy,
which may prohibit commercial traffic. The Toronto Free-Net will have
Acceptable Use Policies of its own, but these have not yet been
decided.
What are Electronic Discussion Groups?
The Toronto Free-Net will carry hundreds of electronic discussion groups.
These are on-going topical discussions on hundreds of subjects ranging
from popular topics like electronics, cooking, fishing, and
music to more obscure ones like locksmithing, pyrotechnics, and
kite-flying. Discussions take place in designated areas on the Free-Net
called conferences or "newsgroups".
Here's How It Works:
Just as you read your favourite columns in the newspaper, each time
you connect to the Toronto Free-Net, you'll want to read your
favourite discussion groups. For example, if you collect stamps,
you'll probably want to follow that discussion regularly.
When you want to join a discussion, you type a message, and
leave it in the appropriate conference or newsgroup for
others to see. The message may be a question, a reply to another
message, a comment, or an opinion. Anyone who wants to reply to your
message can either respond to your private electronic mailbox
on the Toronto Free-Net, or type a public reply in the conference, where
it can be viewed by everyone. Depending on where you leave your message,
it may be viewed by local users, or it may be distributed to hundreds of
other participating computer sites around the world.
Electronic discussion groups allow lively, informative
dialogues to take place on-line, while permitting users to exchange
information and ideas with other people who share their interests.
Discussion groups are also a great place to seek the advice of others,
since they provide an opportunity to tap the collective expertise of
dozens of people. Because discussions will be grouped by subject, it
will be easy for Free-Net users to find people with specific interests.
The Toronto Free-Net expects to feature three types of electronic
discussion groups: community-oriented Special Interest Groups, Usenet,
and Internet mailing lists. Each of these is described below.
Special Interest Groups
Special Interest Groups are on-line discussion groups where the
subject matter is of local interest. Special Interest Groups have
many uses:
* Community associations and clubs in Toronto could establish their
own Special Interest Groups to promote their services
and activities and respond to questions from the public
* Individuals could set up Special Interest Groups to discuss topics
of personal interest with other Free-Net users
* Experts in the community could offer their knowledge to the
public by hosting "Ask An Expert" conferences. These conferences
would provide an open forum where Free-Net users could submit
questions and have them answered by experts. Possible "Ask An
Expert" conferences include:
* Ask a Veterinarian
* Ask an Auto Mechanic
* Ask a Home Repair Expert
* Ask a Legal Expert
* Ask a Garden Expert
* Ask a Travel Agent
The Toronto Free-Net Committee is interested in hearing from anyone
who would be willing to volunteer their time to host an
"Ask An Expert" conference.
Usenet
It is expected that the Toronto Free-Net will also provide its users with
access to Usenet, an international computer conferencing system which
carries thousands of electronic discussion groups on hundreds of topics.
Free-Net users will be able to participate in thousands of electronic
discussions with over 2.5 million other people around the world. Imagine
being able to submit a question to an electronic discussion group and
have answers from all around the world waiting in your electronic mailbox
the very next day!
Internet Mailing Lists
In addition to Usenet, Toronto Free-Net users will be able to join any
of the thousands of scientific, academic, and hobbyist discussion groups
that exist on the Internet.
What Type of Information Will I See on the Toronto Free-Net?
The Toronto Free-Net will be an information resource for our
residents. It will feature information on a wide array of topics,
including medical and health care, education, law, science and
technology, social services, government, entertainment, and recreation.
The possibilities are endless.
Here are examples of the type of information that the Toronto
Free-Net could provide to the public. This list is only a start -
your imagination is the limit.
Community Events
announcements of.....
public meetings, lectures, workshops, fairs, ethnic events,
fund-raising activities, conferences, seminars, speakers,
club meetings, special events....
Entertainment/Leisure
movie listings, movie reviews, restaurant reviews and listings,
concert listings, theatre listings, club listings,
new video releases, local television listings, book reviews,
Blue Jays/Leafs/Argos game schedules, sports scores, winning lottery
numbers, parks and recreation information, high school sports events,
city cycling information.....
Government
garbage collection schedules, snow removal information, newspaper pick-up
information, recycling information, municipal/provincial/federal
government telephone directories, information on Federal and Provincial
Government ministries/agencies/departments, information on
municipal/provincial/federal government services and programs, directory
of Members of Parliament, elections information (polling stations, lists
of candidates), disaster preparedness information, services for seniors,
energy and hydro information, government databases, tax information,
postal codes and rates....
Health and Safety
first aid instructions, Crimestoppers, crime prevention tips,
fire prevention information, drug abuse information, AIDS prevention
information, medical and health databases.....
News/Weather
local, provincial, national, and international news headlines, weather
forecasts....
Transportation
road and highway conditions, TTC route and fare information, VIA
schedules and ticket prices, GO Transit route and fare information,
airline schedules....
Travel and Tourism
convention and visitor information, travel and tourist information,
hotel/motel directories, sightseeing information, information on tourist
attractions in Toronto, information from foreign embassies
and consulates, travel advisories...
Education
directory of school trustees, public and separate school directories,
college and university program information, alternative education
information, information on continuing education programs....
Employment
job listings, union activities, employment standards information, job
training information....
Legal
legal aid services, general legal information
Library Information
We expect that the Toronto Free-Net will provide on-line access
to public library catalogues across Metropolitan Toronto. Our goal is
to make it possible for Free-Net users to search the library holdings of
all six municipal library systems in Metro from the Toronto Free-Net.
Library representatives from East York, Etobicoke, North York,
Scarborough, Toronto, and York are engaged in discussions with the
Toronto Free-Net Committee. The Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library
is also involved in the discussions. We also hope to link the Toronto
Free-Net to university library catalogues around the world.
Who Will Pay For the Operation of the Toronto Free-Net?
Free-Nets depend on the generosity of the community. It is expected that
the operating costs of the Toronto Free-Net will be covered by corporate,
government, and private grants and donations.
By far, our greatest expense will be the phone bill. To help us offset
this cost, businesses and organizations will have the opportunity to
sponsor phone lines. Callers who receive a sponsored line will see the
name of the sponsor on the screen.
How Do I Become a Member of the Toronto Free-Net?
In order to have full use of the facilities on the Toronto Free-Net,
users will be required to complete and mail a registration form. There
is no fee to register, and the registration form will be available on-
line. Anyone can access the Toronto Free-Net as a guest, and look
around, but only registered users will be given an account, and allowed
to use all of the services on the Free-Net.
Is There a Time Limit on my Free-Net Session?
Yes. To give everyone an opportunity to use the system, all users will
be subject to a limit of one hour on their Free-Net session. However,
there is no limit on the number of sessions that a Free-Net user can have
on any given day.
How Will I Access the Toronto Free-Net?
Anyone with a computer, a modem, and a telephone line will be able to
access the Toronto Free-Net free-of-charge by dialing a central telephone
number. Once connected, users move around the system by selecting
options from a series of menus on the screen. Getting around the Toronto
Free-Net will be easy for a first-time user.
What If I Don't Have a Computer?
Public access terminals will be established at libraries throughout
Metropolitan Toronto for those people who don't have the capability of
calling the Toronto Free-Net from their home or office. We expect that
community centers and schools will provide public access terminals as
well. Public access terminals can be established virtually anywhere in
the city.
Do Free-Nets Collaborate With Each Other?
Yes. The Toronto Free-Net will be connected to other Free-Nets around the
world, enabling Toronto Free-Net users to access the resources on other
community computer systems. In return, the Toronto Free-Net will allow
users on other Free-Nets to access our information. Toronto is
participating in the formation of an international network of community
computer systems which share information resources with each other.
While the Toronto Free-Net's primary focus is to serve the local
community, it will have an international audience. It will be possible
for anyone on the Internet to tap into the Toronto Free-Net. This means
that the information on the Toronto Free-Net will be available to
millions of people around the globe, giving organizations and government
the ability to showcase their information to the world. Toronto will
receive public exposure on a scale never before imaginable. This could
do wonders for our tourism industry, as people from around the world
connect to the Toronto Free-Net to learn about Toronto, and plan their
vacations.
Who benefits?
Residents
Residents are given free access to a wealth of community-related
information. By removing economic and social barriers to information,
the Toronto Free-Net will make information more accessible to the public.
In one electronic stop, a person could check out the theatre listings,
review the news headlines, send off a message to his/her local Member of
Parliament or member of Metro Council, find out when the next garbage
collection will be, and search for a book in the public library.
Because the Toronto Free-Net will be connected to the Internet, Toronto
Free-Net users will be able to correspond electronically with municipal,
provincial, and federal government offices that use the Internet. In
this way, the Toronto Free-Net will make it easier for elected officials
at all levels of government to communicate with their constituents. It
is projected that by the end of 1995, all Federal Government officials
will have e-mail. And by the end of this year, all Ontario Government
electronic mail accounts are expected to be conencted to the Internet.
The Community
Because the Toronto Free-Net is entirely a volunteer effort, it
provides new and exciting opportunities for individuals to
become more involved in their community - by providing data to
the Free-Net, starting a Special Interest Group, serving on a Free-Net
committee, or simply by interacting with other Toronto Free-Net users.
Clubs and community groups will benefit from the Toronto Free-Net's
electronic messaging facilities, which will expedite communications
and make it easier for groups to share information, coordinate their
activities, and liaise with the public. The Toronto Free-Net has
tremendous potential to draw the community closer together.
Community/Professional Associations and Government
Clubs and community groups who use the Toronto Free-Net will enhance
their public relations and increase their visibility and accessibility
to the public. Government will find that the Toronto Free-Net provides
a fast, effective, and efficient way to distribute important
information to the community.
Seniors and People With Disabilities
Senior citizens and people with disabilities will be able to access and
exchange information easily and at no charge, without leaving their home.
Teachers and Educators
The Free-Net will provide a cost-effective means for public and
secondary schools to teach telecomputing to their students. Teachers
and students will be able to communicate with their counterparts
around the world, using the Free-Net's electronic mail system. Many
public and secondary schools in the U.S. and Canada already have some
connection to the Internet.
Another Benefit: Increased Computer Literacy
Computer literacy will increase in the community as people learn how to
use the Toronto Free-Net to gain quick and easy access to information
resources electronically. Because the Toronto Free-Net will give its
members access to modern telecommunications facilities, users will
develop an understanding and appreciation of the role and importance
of electronic communications and information technology.
How Will the Free-Net be Different from Bulletin Board
Systems and Commercial Services?
* The Toronto Free-Net will be free to the user, unlike commercial
systems which charge for their services.
* The Toronto Free-Net has a mandate that is community-oriented, unlike
many large commercial systems and small Bulletin Board Systems
which have a much narrower focus, and appeal to users with specific
interests
* Many Bulletin Board Systems are chat or message-oriented, and are
designed for the computer hobbyist. The Toronto Free-Net will
be information-oriented, and will have a very broad appeal.
* The Toronto Free-Net will not have software archives.
It is not our intention to compete with commercial and smaller, private
systems. The Toronto Free-Net will actually expand the market for
commercial services and bulletin board systems by increasing computer
literacy in the community. We want to work with operators of bulletin
board systems and the larger commercial systems to promote their use and
make the general public aware of their existence.
When Will the Toronto Free-Net Be Operational?
We are targeting March 31, 1994 for the launch of the Toronto Free-Net,
but our rate of progress depends on the amount of support we receive from
the community.
Who Can Participate?
Everyone in Metro Toronto is invited to participate. This is a community
effort, and there is an opportunity for everyone to get involved.
Does the Toronto Free-Net Committee Need My Help?
Yes!
The Toronto Free-Net Committee needs volunteers to help with public
relations, fund-raising, hardware and software issues, organizational
matters, and data collection.
We need clubs, community and professional associations, and government
to contribute information to the Free-Net. How can your organization
participate?
We need institutions to volunteer to be public-access sites for the
Toronto Free-Net.
We need financial support to cover the costs of phone lines and
hardware/software.
How Can I or my Business or Association Get Involved?
Please contact anyone on the Board of Directors or one of the Committee
Chairs to find how you or your organization can contribute to the
development of the Toronto Free-Net. We need volunteers from the
commmunity, as well as the involvement of businesses and community
associations to help the Toronto Free-Net achieve its true potential.
All Free-Net committees meet regularly. Call the Toronto Free-Net's
automated information line at 568-9944 for the dates and times of upcoming
meetings.
Toronto Free-Net Board of Directors
Allan Earle 597-6947 Allan_W...@magic-bbs.corp.apple.com
Bev Green 629-7260 rn....@rose.com
Sam Lanfranco 736-5237 lan...@vm1.yorku.ca
Richard Malinski 979-5142 mali...@ryevm.ryerson.ca
Jud Newell 347-2290 j...@reptiles.org
Laine Ruus 978-5365 la...@vm.utcc.utoronto.ca
Sam Sternberg 636-3354 sam...@vm1.yorku.ca
David Tallan 944-3782 tal...@flis.utoronto.ca
President: Jud Newell
Vice-President and Secretary: Laine Ruus
Treasurer: Sam Sternberg
Committee Chairs:
Data Resources Sam Sternberg 636-3354 sam...@vm1.yorku.ca
Hardware/Software Colin McGregor 487-9613 colin.m...@canrem.com
Joe Markovic 265-8580 joe.ma...@canrem.com
Organization Evan Ross 486-0698 71051...@compuserve.com
Fund-Raising Sam Sternberg 636-3354 sam...@vm1.yorku.ca
Public Relations David Tallan 944-3782 tal...@flis.utoronto.ca